Riot Games is ready to commit to supporting the esports development of its first fully mobile title League of Legends: Wild Rift. On Friday, the company announced it would “take the initial steps to build the Wild Rift esports ecosystem.”
John Needham, global head of esports at Riot Games, revealed a bunch of new information to kick start the second decade of League of Legends esports.
Mobile gamers, it’s your time to shine! Today we are announcing our commitment to bring League of Legends: Wild Rift Esports to players around the world. pic.twitter.com/epE2vXHfwN
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) January 8, 2021
Additionally, he also revealed that Wild Rift Open Beta’s massive success guarantees a bright future in esports for the handheld title.
Designed with the goal of presenting gamers with the authentic League of Legends experience on mobile, Wild Rift could be gearing up for its first esports tournament following its global release. Wild Rift is only available in select regions with further regions supposed to gain access in 2021.
Some initial plans have already begun to take place, particularly in Southeast Asia where mobile esports are already a dominant, thriving ecosystem. Riot has tapped ESL Gaming to operate an official professional and collegiate esports for Wild Rift in Malaysia and Thailand. North American esports organisation Noble Esports has already signed a Wild Rift roster in India despite the game not yet releasing in the region. Southeast Asia and Japan are expected to begin high-level esports competition early in 2021.
While details remain scarce, Riot also reaffirmed its plans to expand esports operations for Legends of Runeterra and Teamfight Tactics in 2021
The official starting dates for all the regional leagues for League of Legends are:
- LPL – 9 January
- LCK – 13 January
- LCS – 15 January
- CBLOL -16 January
- VCS – 21 January
- LEC – 22 January
- LJL – 23 January
- TCL – 23 January
- LLA – 30 January
- PCS – 5 February
- LCL – 13 February
Additionally, League of Legends World Championship 2021 is set to be the first of its kind. Riot Games has confirmed that the 2021 World Championships will be held in China. This year Worlds will see the teams travel across cities in China for various matches.
